Christmas tree light ornament



Sept. 4, 1934. c MCCOY CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT ORNAMENT Filed Feb. 6, 1933 INVENTOR. Cuzrnssf N-"Coif BY M h la FM ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED sra'rlazs PATENT OFFICE- CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT ORNAMENT Curtiss J. McCoy, Indianapolis, Ind. Application February fi, 1933, Serial .No. 655,357 6 Claims.- (Cl. 240-101) The chief object of the inventionis to provide an attachment which is arranged for suitable mounting and which provides a pivot adapted to" rotatably support a shade construction.

The chief feature of the invention consists in the formation of the support per se.

Another feature of the invention consists in the formation of the shade whereby the same is not only rotatable by the heat of the source of illumination but which is so constructed that it creates the appearance of a plurality of rotating "15 jewels.

When applied to a tree the intermittent directional discharge'of light rays creates the highly ornamental appearance of apparent movement of the tree ornaments and tree limbs.

The full'nature of the invention will be under-- stood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:-

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a top of a Christmas tree provided with 5 an electric lighting system and herein each of the lamp structures is provided with an automatically rotatable shade.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the shade construction. J l Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional, view through the shade, the anchorage including a pivot, the socket and bulb beingshown in elevation.

In the drawing, 10 indicates the trunk of a 5 Christmas tree, or the like, and 11 a branch. 12

indicates a pair of light bulbreceiving sockets; on each of which-is mounted-a light bulb,.indi-. cated in Fig. 3 by the numeral 13.-

The shade is of frusto-conical character and includes a scalloped lower edge 14, a closed top construction 15, centrally apertured at 16 and associated therewith and mounted in the aperture is a bearing member or seat 17 having a partially spherical surface 18, and the same is A5 preferably made of I glass which may be formed formed by punching'out a portion 20.' Portions 20 constitute vanes and are inclined withrespect to the plane of the top 15. The outer'edge of the top is turned downwardly asat 21 and forms a reenforcing rim for the body portion 22.,of the shade.- The top edge of the shade is turned back as, at 23 and thus the shade at its connection with the top is reenforced and the reversed portion 23 is herein shown of sufficient height to substantially protect the upwardly inclined vanes 20. The shade and the top except for the partially spherical seat may be made of (paperboard or the like; 3

' The shade may be suitably apertured as at 24 and upon the inner surface of'the shade is fixed a colored translucent medium or sheet 125. These are so arranged that some of the apertures 24 are not covered while others are covered by the translucent material. Thus, light from an uncolored bulb 13 will'pass through the uncovered apertures as white light, or the equivalent character, from colored bulbs while white light from the bulb. 13 will also pass through the covered apertures as colored light and will illuminate said apertures. Colored bulbs will also combine to illuminate .the apertures with a combination of the bulb color and the sheet color. In the rotation of the shade these various apertures, whether covered or uncovered, appear as scintillating jewels and, of course, illumination that passes through theopenings alsoilluminates the entire supporting structure, such as atree or wreath but, of course, to a more limited degree than the bulb 13 would illuminate the same if not provided with the device.: g

A single wire includes a plurality of spiral turns 25 which envelope the lamp .bulb and the upper end terminates in an upwardly extending portion-'26, terminating ina pivot forming point 27 which engages the spherical seat and thus the shade is not only pivotally supported on the point but is centrally supported.

As shown. in the'drawing, light bulb 13 has a bulb. portion that intermediate its ends is enlarged laterally. This forms a restricted portion immediately above the socket receivable portion of the lightbulb. The spiral coils 25 are sucoessively of increasing diameterfrom the tip toward the opposite end of the wire and one spiral portion about the'bulb adjacent the restricted por'-, tion thereof isof a diameter no'greater than the diameter of the last or largest of the before mentioned successive bulb encircling spiral turns, andpreferably is of a lesser diameter than the last ofsaid successive spirals. r 7 It is well known that Christmas tree lighting systems are comprised of six, eight, ten. and twelve lamp bulbs usually connected, in series, and that the heat. discharged from the surface of the bulb is relatively "small. It is, therefore, imperative in a construction of this kind that the shade substantially encloses the major portion of the bulb. The air within the shade and surrounding the bulb becomes heated when the bulb iis energized so the filament therein produces light and this heated air rises within the shade and escapes through the apertures 19 and impinges in its escape upon the vanes 20 and thus the thrust of the escaping air secures rotation of the shade. The heated escaping air is replaced by the colder air which enters between the shade and tl-ie" light bulb at the bottom of the shade.

In certain forms of the invention the plurality of coils may be omitted and the portion 26' that its axis issubstantially vertical; Otherwise,

the shades will-not automatically rotate.

Whenever it is desired to insure predetermined fi-Xed position-'ing the portion 28 is extended and is'suitably provided with asupport clamping con struction; The support clam-ping construction herein disclosed, is ofa double clip type; Itmay be of any preferred type The double clip"type includes the two arms 30 and 31", each of' which terminate in a jaw 32 and 33; respectivelyand serrated as at. 34:, the serrations meshing when not engaging'a support.- A spring- 35" normally insures movement or the clamping portions 32 and 33 towards each other and as will be noted these teeth are arranged substantially at rig-ht angles to the commonly. known battery terminal clamping construction. 1 a

In the present form-of theconstruction;.-the end 2S is clampingly secured as" by the screw 36 to: the clamping construction; As previously indicated, the clamp construction;- instead of being. of the characterindicated; may beformed as: an integral extension of the member 28 The purpose of this clamp construction is to'insure predetermined positioning of the lamp bulb socket $05 that the lamp bulb will have its: axis substantially vertically positioned so: that the pivot forrmrig tip 2'2 will be vertically positioned and automatic rotae tion of the shade will result when the lamp! bulb;

is lighted.

While herein the intermediate portions 28. and

25 are shown coiled aboutthe sockefi and-the-bulb respectively, either or both of these clamping associations may be omitted. However, some form of association with either thebulb or -the socket is' preferred sothat evens-though the tip; be main tained in a verticalspositiolr meansiof: the clamp construction; thelight bulb and socket as a unit cannot cant therefrom-- to such a, degree that it Will -obstruct the rotation of the sl-iade, since by reasonof the relatively small source of power and the relativelylargeamount otfric-tiorr with refer-. ence thereto there is little; surplus; powerand therefor central positioning of the lampgbulbtis highly desirable to insure certain yof rotationrof the'sha'de; p I

While} the invention has'been described in great detail in the foregoing specification, the same is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive in charaeterand various modifications thereoii which will readily suggest themselves topersons skilled in this art, all are considered within the broad scope of this invention, reference being had to the appended claims. I

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with a shade having a top with a central partially spherical seat and a concentric incline vaned apertured portion, a lamp bulb and a socket detachably receiving the bulb, of a single wire havinga portion wound about the socket, another portion extending from the socket engaging portion encircling and extending toward the end of the bulb, and a pointed tip extending axially from the second mentioned portion and axiallypositioned relative to the bulb and immediately above the bulb and engageable by saidseatg.

2 In combination with a light bulb having an iiitermediateehlargedportion'between its ends, a rotatablershade having a central pivot bearing, a vaned portion and a bulb enveloping skirt portion-and a. shade supporting member-comprising a; wire body provided atl-i ts-upper em with axial shade supporting pi-v'o't an'd with" aplurality of-helicar turns'ofprogressively increasing diamet'er.-downwardlyi from said shade supporting pivot said body also-including at least a portion of an additional helical turn beiowtne first-men: tione'd helical turns and of a diameter less than the largest diameter or the said first mentioned helical turns when mounted on the bu said hel-icat turns being so constructed and arranged as to nestingly envelop the lamp above and belcw the enlarged portion the're'of. 3 .-.In combination with ali'ght bulb having-'- an intermediate enlarged portion between itsen-ds, a rotatable shade having a central pivot bearing, a; van-ed portion a-nd a bulbienvelopi ng'sliirt per-- tion, and a shade supporting member comp ising a single length: of w-i-re provided at"= its upper" end with a'v shade sup orting: ti ppositiond to coincide withthe longitudinal axis': or the bulb and with a plurality of helical turns, eaeli' successive turnbeingof increasing diameterlongitudinally of the amnesiabody' including at leastaportion" of an'additional helical turn below he mentioned helical turns and er a diameter no greater than the largest diameter of the said first mantio'neclli'elic'e'rl turns, and a support for said wire body including a clamp connected to the wireat theend opposite said tip por-ti'on for simultanecus'ly positioning" the bulband pivot at recastmined relation to: a support;

4. In combination with a light bulb having an interni'ediate enlarged bulb *porti'onbetween its endsyasocket for said light bulbia rotatablesliade having' central pivot bearing surrounded by a varied portion; and also-having a dependii'ig bulb enveloping skirt, portion; an operative connection between the sha defaridthe bulb comprising a single length of wire provided with heiica'l c'oiis having at its upper end a pointed shade supporting pivot' in alignment with the lon'gitudirialaxis of the bulb, the coils of saidbo'dy' being, of sub,- cessively increasing diameter from saidlt'ip'toward, the. bottomofthe; body,. and"at least, a portion of arradditional helical turn below the; last mentioned turns and opposite the top portionof a? diameter. lessthan thejlargest diameter of the first mentioned helical turns; when .rnountedi on the" bulband; so constructedrand arranged as to nestingly envelop: the bulb. above andbelow the enlarged portion, and? a; support for saidiwireboply including? a olamprconne'cted' to: thewireajtatheiend oppositeifrom the top t'li'ereor, and: simultaneously ITS Ice

positioning the bulb socket and pivot in predetermined positions upon a support.

5. In combination with a light bulb having an intermediate enlarged portion between its ends, a socket for said light bulb, a rotatable shade having a central pivot bearing, a vaned portion and a bulb enveloping skirt portion and a shade supporting member comprising a wire body formed of a single piece of wire and provided at its upper end with an axial shade supporting pivot and with a plurality of helical turns of progressively increasing diameter from the top of the lamp downward so as to nestingly engage the lamp, said body also including at least a portion of an additional helical turn below the first mentioned helical turns and of a diameter less than the largest diameter of any of the first mentioned helical turns when mounted on the bulb, said body being so constructed and arranged as to nestingly envelop the bulb above and below the enlarged portion thereof, and a support for said spiral including a clamp connected to the wire at the lower end of said body, for simultaneouly positioning the bulb socket and pivot in predetermined posi-- tion upon a support, the wire below the last mentioned turn having a helical portion encircling said socket.

6. In a Christmas-tree-light ornament, a shade-supporting member comprising a bulb-engageable Wire body provided with a plurality of 

